IR 05000220/2024302

Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000220/2024302

ML24277A087
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	10/03/2024
From:	Diane Jackson NRC/RGN-I/DORS/OB
To:	Rhoades D Constellation Energy Generation, Constellation Nuclear
References
EPID L-2024-OLL-0019 50-220/24-302
Download: ML24277A087 (1)

Text

October 3, 2024

David Senior Vice President Constellation Energy Generation, LLC President and Chief Nuclear Officer (CNO)

Constellation Nuclear 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT: NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000220/ 2024 302

Dear David Rhoades:

On August 16, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on September 5, 2024, with Thomas Tanguay and other members of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, one applicant for instant senior reactor operator license, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 12.

The license examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on September 5, 2024.

No findings were identified during this examination. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRCs Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely, Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety

Docket No. 05000220 License No. DPR-63

Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000220/2024302 w/Attachment: Supplementary Information

REGION I==

Docket No. 05000220

License No. DPR-63

Report No. 05000220/2024302

Licensee: Constellation Energy Generation, LLC

Enterprise Identifier: L-2024-OLL-0019

Facility: Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1

Location: Lycoming, NY

Dates: August 12 - 15, 2024 (Operating Test Administration)

August 16, 2024 (Written Examination Administration)

August 22, 2024 (Licensee Submitted Post Exam Package)

August 23 - September 4, 2024 (NRC Examination Grading)

September 5, 2024 (Licenses Issued)

Examiners: M. Patel, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch T. Fish, Senior Operations Engineer C. Crisden, Examiner K. Murphy, Operations Engineer

Approved By: Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety

Enclosure

SUMMARY

ER 05000220/2024302; August 12 - August 16, 2024; Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1 ;

Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

Four NRC examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, one applicant for instant senior reactor operator license, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG -1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the facility on August 16, 2024. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on August 12 through August 15, 2024. The NRC examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings were identified.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all seven license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, Personal Qualification Statement, and NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee. The examiner s also audited all seven of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications. This audit focused on the applicants experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On August 16, 2024, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all seven applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on August 22, 2024.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all seven applicants on August 12 through August 15, 2024. The applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in at least two dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of eleven system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses participated in at least two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks. The applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses participated in at least one dynamic simulator scenario, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findings

All seven applicants passed the operating test and the written examination.

For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 95.5 percent and ranged from 93.3 to 97.3 percent, the senior operator applicants average score was 94.0 percent and ranged from 93.0 to 97.0 percent.

The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on August 23, 2024, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this written examination will be delayed for two years.

The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment.

Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG -1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis for five questions that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner.

The licensee submitted no post-examination question comments.

.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG -1021, Revision 12. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted the operating examination outlines on March 9, 2024. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on May 22, 2024. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG -1021 and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on June 6, 2024. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of July 15, 2024. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on July 24, 2024.

b. Findings

The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings were identified.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

The chief examiner presented the examination results to Thomas Tanguay, Senior Manager Site Training, and other members of the licensee's management staff on September 5, 2024.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

4OA7 Licensee-Identified Violations

None

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

M. Dougherty, Senior Nuclear Training Instructor

P. Ryan, Senior Nuclear Training Instructor

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

NONE

Opened and Closed

NONE

Closed

NONE

Discussed

NONE